Any Given Sunday
by My-Friend-KITT
Summary: A little fluff piece set after Superman Returns.


A/N: Hi everyone…This is another Post SR setting. And it is fluffy. It is sooo very very fluffy that it makes cotton candy look hard.

So don't say that I didn't want ya. And have fun!

**Any Given Sunday**

It was a warm and lazy May afternoon in Metropolis. It wasn't too hot at 82 degrees and the sun shone a little more brightly into the Living Room window in the house on Riverside Dr.

Normally on Sunday afternoons like this, Lois would snuggle close to Richard and veg out all night. However, this afternoon was going to be a little more different.

Even though it was a Sunday, Lois let Jason stay at his friend Jaime's house. Jason and Jamie where both born on the same day in the same hospital only 2 doors apart. They even shared the same allergies. And Lois knew Mrs. Melbourne well enough to trust that Jason would be well taken care of and that he would be at school the next day and on time.

Richard shook his shoulder against Lois and asked, "Let's go out."

Lois had just settled in and the last thing she wanted to do was fight the Big City traffic on her day off.

"Can't we just stay in and watch a movie?" She whined in perfect mimicry of Jason when he wanted a snack before dinner.

Then in a salaciously sultry voice, she added, "I promise, you won't be bored." She then laid a soft kiss on his neck just below his ear to prove her point.

Richard blushed and then chuckled with a wide grin. He tenderly ran his fingers along her sensitive jawbone and then lifted her chin to face him. He then bent down deeply and pulled her lips closer to his.

Lois closed her eyes in expectation and sighed in contentment. Now this is the kind of afternoon she could get very used to.

Just as Richard could feel the heat of Lois' breath against his lips, he suddenly reached up and planted an exaggerated peck on her forehead with a loud, "MWAH!"

He laughed maniacally as he wrapped his warm arms around her in a tight hug, "You know I love you!"

Lois laid a sarcastic evil glare on him that would have made his blood run cold if he hadn't known her for 9 years. "And if I didn't know you better and love you so damned much, you would be dead Mister." She growled with an evil smirk.

In reality, she loved his evil ways. Everyday was another unexpected and pleasant surprise.

When Superman came back, she worried that she would have to choose. And what a hard choice that would be?!

A red hot man in Spandex that can fly…

or…

An adorably hot man in a suit that can fly…well, aided by aircraft- But Hey!

Then the night after he first visited Jason in his very own room, Superman called Lois out to the dock. And there next to Richard's gently rocking sea plane, he announced his intentions.

Superman took her sweaty palms into his warm soft hands. "Lois," He spoke softly as his cobalt eyes locked with hers. "I have made many bad decisions in my life. However, all of them pale in comparison to the one I made 7 years ago. At the time, it seemed like I had no other options or avenues to choose from."

Lois felt him sigh in her hands. And was he about to cry?

"When I make a decision, I play it through no matter what the consequence. Do you understand what I mean?" Superman asked while never once looking away.

Lois shrugged. And that was hard to do because right now she was fighting the urge to run away as fast as she could, as well as the urge to jump into his strong arms and kiss him so hard that he would forget what he was about to say.

"I've decided that I'm not going to stand in your way Lois." He explained with a minor choke. "You and Richard have spent 7 years together, have raised my son to the best of your abilities, and love each other dearly."

Lois was now the one about to cry. It felt like the end of an era for her. A door was being closed and sealed away for forever.

"Lois, what I'm saying is," he whispered so soft she was having trouble hearing him and he was less than a foot away. "I welcome your marriage to Richard and I wish you the best that life has to offer."

Lois wanted to scream, cry, punch something, kick a puppy, or do a Mike Tyson bite! She still felt a fire for Superman and her soul yearned to touch the Man of Steel like no other woman could.

'But really, she would never be happy with a man who was never at home.' She lied to herself feebly.

"Don't worry Lois." He continued as a single tear ran down his powerful cheek. "I will always be watching over you and Jason. And if you need any help with him and his budding abilities, just call."

He chuckled, "I even offer a free Super Babysitting service."

Lois then released her death grip on his hands, stood on her tip toes, laced her fingers behind his neck, and kissed him goodbye. It was the most tender and emotional kiss she had had since she had lost her memory. He returned her kiss with the same level of fervor.

Suddenly Superman pulled away and looked toward the house in shock.

Lois turned slowly towards the distraction Superman saw. When her eyes locked with Richard's, her blood ran cold and her knees threatened to buckle beneath her.

"Don't worry," Superman stated with his usual air of authority. "I will speak with him as well."

Instantly, he lifted 5' into the air and floated vertically towards Richard. If Lois hadn't have known better, she would have sworn he was suspended in mid-air by guide wires.

Superman alighted on the deck about 9' in front of Richard. Lois knew that he was being cautious around Richard. The man had just witnessed her and Superman kiss…and passionately at that.

Lois leaned heavily against the gently rocking sea plane. She knew better than to approach them right now. However, she did watch them from her odd vantage point.

At first, Richard looked hurt and ready to duel it out with the caped Superhero. Then Lois watched his expression soften to painful sadness. It was almost exactly like she felt only a minute ago.

Lois suddenly felt like she was eavesdropping on a conversation about her. She guiltily turned around to overlook the moonlit harbor. It was a splendid evening to be outside. The starlit sky reflected abstractly on the softly lapping surface of the harbor. A nearby buoy rang its deep bell as a tall single person sailboat floated by. And Lois calmed down slowly as she closed her eyes and breathed in the salty sea air.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she leaped a good 2' in the air when a pair of hands wound their way around her waist and locked together over her belly button.

A soft male voice chuckled lively from behind her and laid his head on her shoulder softly.

Lois reached up behind her and ran her long slender fingers through his hair. She smiled when he pulled her up against him.

Instantly, Lois knew exactly who held her close. And she hadn't even bothered to turn and look at him yet. It was Richard. She could tell by the feel of his thinner wavy hair and the strong scent of Stetson.

Lois was happy and sad at the same time. She was happy because her life was going to settle down into some normality. But she was sad because the man of her dreams was once more…untouchable.

"Lois?!" Richard called with an elbow poke to her side. "Earth to the red hot momma on my arm."

"You had better be referring to me Mister." Lois growled playfully. "Or there will be no rock big enough for you to hide under."

It had been 2 years, a beautiful marriage, and a more or less happily ever after since then. Lois turned slowly in Richard's arms and laid a tender kiss upon him.

Richard stood up suddenly and offered her his hand, "Well come up here and find out." He teased with a wild grin.

Lois leaned back on the couch defiantly. "No, you come back down here and defend your honor like a man."

Richard laughed maniacally and then replied with an evil smirk, "Okay, if you say so."

Then he sat crossways on her lap and tucked his feet under his knees so that he was sitting Indian Style. He continued chuckling as he lay sideways against her whole front. Then just because he could, he laid his head gently on her breast bone.

"Uggg." Lois grumbled with a smile. "You Win! Now get off!"

Richard tilted his head up slightly and looked up into her hazel eyes. He was about to leave her a comment that would make her blush to her toes when she suddenly pushed him onto the floor.

He landed on the Berber carpet with a soft thud. He was so shocked by her action that he lay in a heap on the floor for a few seconds trying to get his bearings.

Lois looked down upon him sympathetically and then apologized with a smirk, "I'm sorry, but you were getting heavy."

She then slid off the leather couch and gathered him up in a hug. "Forgiven?"

Richard sat up and situated himself in her arms. His eyes twinkled with laughter and then he pulled her into a long lavish kiss. His lips told her exactly how he felt.

And even though a few nasty rug burns would be fun to make, he did want to get out of the house this afternoon. He didn't know why. He just wanted to get away. Maybe go bowling. Maybe go to the mini golf course. Maybe hit up the new amusement park just out of town. Anything but hanging out at home.

"I will forgive you under one condition," he bargained with a grin. "Let me take my beautiful wife out on a date?"

Lois sighed ad then relented, "If you must. Now who is she?"

Richard grinned with a dark look in his eyes that Lois knew well. He then pulled her close and whispered sensuously, "Let me help you refresh your memory."

'Well this afternoon might not be half bad after all.' Lois mused as they decided that rug burns wouldn't be that bad of an idea.

Later that evening, Richard and Lois entered the Stayin' Alive night club. It was a retro night club that they frequented often. It was a nice place that wasn't ever too busy and they could just relax and have fun.

Lois strolled up to the long mahogany bar and waved, "Jameson neat and a milk for my date!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhh, Mrs. Lane-White! How are you and where is your eye candy?" The younger blonde bartender asked with a grin as she fetched the whiskey.

"Eye Candy?" Lois asked with a skeptical eyebrow rise. "Yeah, maybe an Easter Peep. Crusty on the outside. Soft and squishy on the inside."

Both women broke into a sudden uproar.

"Hey you two?" Richard asked with a knowing grin as he walked up to the bar and leaned in. "Let me in on the joke. Or am I the joke?" He asked with a sudden sparkle in his eye.

Both women snorted back another round of laughter.

"Okay okay," Richard chuckled. He couldn't help but laugh. It was contagious especially when it came form Lois in the form of a snort. "Set me up with the usual White Castle please."

The blonde bartender grinned like the cat that ate the mouse. Then she slid both Lois' and Richard's drink down the polished bar.

They both caught their drinks simultaneously and held them up in the air. For a couple of seconds, they just stood there gazing into each other's eyes with their drinks cooling in the breeze, well the smoke.

For that couple of seconds, the lady bartender held back a laugh. They were still acting like newlyweds and were all goo-goo for each other.

"If in the world there were but 2…" Richard began to narrate.

"And you knew that no one knew…" Lois joined in with a grin from ear to ear.

"Would you?" Richard concluded and then kissed Lois sweetly.

They both ticked bottle to glass and then took a long luxurious sip of their drinks. Lois nearly drank the whole glass in one slug. She didn't care and Jason was in good hands.

Richard on the other hand wasn't that thirsty. He just enjoyed the taste and the company.

Suddenly the song _My Sharona _began to play.

Lois downed the rest of her drink in one gulp and then grabbed Richard by the elbow. "Come on Party Animal." She yelled happily and she tugged him toward the dance floor. "Let's show these people how to dance!"

Richard only had a second to set down his beer on the bar before he was yanked across the room to the dance floor. He laughed the whole way and then joined Lois in the dance.

And for the most part, that is how their evening went. They shared a few drinks, they shared a few dances, they shared a few memories. And they had an all and all good evening.

Lois and Richard were slow dancing to What a Wonderful World when an older man in his late 50's in a pinstripe suit walked up to the zoned out couple.

"May I cut in?" He asked smoothly as he tapped Richard on his shoulder lightly.

Lois had had her light and swirling head rested comfortably on Richard's shoulder. She was totally lost in the dance and Richard's sweet warm embrace. When the well dressed elderly man tapped Richard on his shoulder, she didn't even bother to look up. She should have.

"No." Richard casually responded. "She's my wife and that gives me the privilege of not having to share."

Lois chuckled softly against Richard and then softly kissed his neck. He could be such a romantic.

"Well, you don't understand." The middle aged man's voice dropped an octave and growled. "That was not a request."

At that, Lois looked up just in time to see the man pull out what looked like a Semi-Automatic Glock and pointed it square at Richard's chest. His wrinkled face was emotionless and his hand was steady on the trigger.

Then suddenly Lois recognized him. She stood up straight and defiantly. "John Murphy Alcott." She hissed at him. "Aren't you supposed to be doing 25 to Life?"

"Ms Lane." He growled even deeper. "We must take this lovely conversation outside."

Lois pulled the stiffened Richard close to her and laid her head against his chest again and then announced, "I have nothing to say to you."

Richard knew better than to turn away from a man with a gun. As a matter of fact, he was staring at him intently.

John Alcott suddenly pressed the muzzle of the weapon against Richard's head. He then roughly grabbed Lois by the elbow and tore her away from her husband. His weapon never wavered as he whipped Lois around to stand side-by-side with him.

Lois didn't even have a moment to fight him before the warm barrel of the gun was pressed against her temple.

"No." He whispered gravely. "I insist. You must come outside and join me."

While not turning his back on Richard, he proceeded backward towards the door with Lois roughly braced under one arm. He never once flinched or waved his gun. However, his eyes kept swiveling as he stepped surely.

Richard swore under his breath. Why didn't he take this threat seriously sooner? Being military trained, Richard knew what his options were and kept his composure cool. Lois was going to be back in his arms and safe. No doubt about it.

An unwitting dancer accidently bumped John Alcott on his gun elbow. It went flying out of his hand and into the crowd.

Lois instantly jabbed him in the side with her elbow. Then she stomped her long heel down onto his foot.

Richard then appeared out of nowhere and gave the bellowing man a vicious upper cut.

Lois tried to jump free of the action at that point. She could pound the snot out of him just as good as Richard. But why when Richard was so good at it? Plus, she needed a second to get her bearings.

But Lois' shoe was still stuck in John's foot and she tripped landing face first on the dance floor. It happened so fast that she couldn't even catch herself.

Richard immediately grabbed Lois' arm and tried to help her up. But her foot was still caught in his shoe and she was having a hard time trying to scramble to her feet.

John Alcott took that moment to grab Richard by the shirt and kick him in his side with his good foot. He didn't get in just one kick though. He actually managed to get in 2 swift kicks to Richard's tender side before he broke free.

Richard was generally a peace loving individual. He even held no malice towards a man holding a weapon against his temple. And even though Lois was threatened repeatedly, he had stayed cool, calm, and in control. But this S.O.B. was testing him. And he was about to break…BIG TIME!

Richard braced his elbow and swung upward hard and purposeful. He didn't really aim. He just wanted to get the guy off of them and get Lois out of there.

Richard's elbow connected with bone in a teeth grinding crunch. And John Alcott bellowed as he crumbled to the floor.

Richard didn't even look up as he grabbed Lois under her arm pits and drug her away from the writhing man. Lois' foot was still caught in John Alcott's loafer. But Richard didn't care. He needed to get her out of there.

Lois did care. She shook her foot hard and repeatedly to get it free of her heel. And sure enough by the third shake, she was free of her entrapment.

With Richard's help, she scrambled to her feet. Then she pulled him tightly into a much needed reassuring hug.

They held each other close. Neither of them was showing any intention of letting go.

Richard laced his fingers tightly around Lois' lower back. And Lois interlaced hers behind his neck. She laid her head against his shoulders willing him to settle down her nerves.

Just as they turned towards each other to kiss, the gathered crowd gasped.

Richard swiveled quickly toward the fallen John Alcott just in time to see the man rise from the floor like the Devil from Hades.

John Alcott rose slowly to his feet. The whole left side of his face was caved in and bloody. Blood poured from his nose. And even his eye was swollen shut with blood crusted around it. One of his hands was clutching his side and the other was holding…

Lois swallowed hard when she finally turned around. She saw Mr. Alcott standing emotionlessly erect leveling the Glock at her and Richard.

Richard shoved Lois roughly into the crowd and stepped squarely in front of the threat.

"We have no qualms with you Sir." Richard stated softly with his hands up in the air. He wanted to show that he wasn't a threat. However, he took one careful step towards the waiting weapon. "Whatever it is, it can't be worth taking a life."

John Alcott's good eye narrowed and his finger tightened on the trigger.

Richard tempted fate and took another step forward. "Listen to me Mr. Alcott. We can solve this civilly. This doesn't have to end in death."

The Glock fired.

Lois leaped towards Richard.

Richard fell to the floor under Lois.

The whole nightclub fell deathly silent.

Suddenly the Glock fired again and a 3rd person fell to the floor.

Everyone in the nightclub began to scream and scatter to the door. It was such an insane stampede that they nearly stomped on the three people on the floor.

"Superman!" Someone yelled in relief from the doorway.

Then everybody that had piled up to the door slowly backed up to allow Superman to walk in. The all parted silently in awe.

Superman walked in purposeful and cautious. He usually didn't get involved in bar fights. But when he heard the distinctive sound of gunfire, he thought he had better investigate. He was vastly unprepared for the scene before him.

When the last of the crowd parted to allow Superman to come inside, he saw the typical aftermath of a gunfight. A pair of people lay huddled together on the floor and not more than 6 feet away from them a single person laid awkwardly in a pool of blood.

He hated scenes like this. Why did such an advanced society have to kill? He just didn't know.

Superman could tell that the singular male laying on the floor was beyond help. Both his Super hearing and Super vision confirmed his initial hypothesis too.

Then the couple began to stir. Superman rushed over to offer aid. Then one of them turned over and faced him.

Richard?

"Richard?" Superman asked in fear and confusion. Then it hit him like a Japanese Bullet train, "LOIS?!"

Richard instantly stood up and helped Superman check Lois. They gently rolled her over and stopped cold in shock.

Lois had a quarter-sized hole in her chest and blood as seeping out quickly.

"LOIS?!" Richard yelled in panic. He could see that her eyes were rolled back in her head and she was unresponsive.

Superman didn't wait. He cradled Lois in his arms like a newborn baby and rushed for the door. Very carefully so as not to jostle his passenger, he bobbed and weaved his way out the door. And the very second he was clear, he shot into the moonless sky.

"Hold on Lois." He whispered softly as he landed in front of Metropolis General Hospital's Emergency Room. He busted through the door at his Super speed. Three nurses looked up at him in pure shock.

An orderly quickly rushed a gurney to the Superhero. And an ER doctor calmly approached, "What do you have?"

Superman normally deposited his rescues, gave a quick explanation, and left. Not tonight. He stood there absentmindedly clutching Lois close and looking at the ER doctor for answers.

The ER doctor must have seen the look of panic on his face and knew that he was going to have to handle this one differently.

"Okay, set her down on this gurney and we will see what we can do." He coached carefully.

Superman gently laid her down on the gurney. He was obviously shaken to the core.

Instantly, the orderly rushed the bleeding brunette down a hall and through a door. He was immediately followed by 2 of the nurses and 2 doctors.

Superman stood frozen in place in shock. He had always been able to save Lois from herself. Well, except for that one time. Now he stood soaked in Lois' blood but he didn't seem to notice.

Four Days Later

Superman and Richard both knocked on Lois' hospital door and walked in. She sat frowning over a tray of colorless and mostly tasteless food.

"What does a gun shot survivor have to do to get some edible food around here?" Lois grumbled. "Please tell me you have Take Out in those bags."

Both Superman and Richard held up identical white paper bags. And they both had matching goofy grins to go with their matching bags.

"Choose Wisely." Richard taunted.

"Can I at least smell them first?" She begged hopefully.

"No." Richard cruelly snickered.

"Then I choose his." Lois shot back with a grin as she pointed levelly at the Caped Wonder.

Superman stepped forward coyly. Deftly, he removed her plate of barely touched hospital food and set his white bag of Take Out down on her hospital tray.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

She grinned from ear to ear as she dug hungrily into the bag. "Isn't it obvious?"

Superman shrugged his shoulders and gave her a questioning look.

Both Lois and Richard laughed knowingly.

"She believes that you crossed the continents to find the most authentic cuisine possible." Richard stated with an air of aristocracy and a kiss to his fingertips.

Lois peeled the paper back on an overstuffed Ruben Sandwich and took a massive bite. "Uh huh" She agreed through her mouthful of food

Superman grinned knowingly and then replied, "I didn't have time. That came from the bar across the street called Gillespie's Pub. I heard they have the best Rubens this side of Metropolis."

"Mine actually was the meal that travelled the furthest distance." Richard began as he unloaded his parcel onto Lois' tray.

Lois was still nodding yes to Superman's statement when Richard laid his meal offering before her. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized the Baked Ziti from Pepe's Pizza and Breadsticks.

Richard laughed knowingly as he pulled out 4 well loaded pieces of cheesy garlic bread. He offered Superman a piece and then took a seat next to Lois' hospital bed.

Superman turned it down with a head shake and a wave.

"Well Lois," he began as he edged toward the door. "I just wanted to check up on you and make sure that you are healing alright."

"I am. And it's because of you and Richard." She thanked him sincerely. "Without your actions, the doctor said that I would have died from massive blood loss."

Superman swallowed hard. He remembered a time when she _had_ passed away. But that was the past and this was now.

"Next time Mrs. Lane-White, save the heroics for me." He stated with a bright grin.

"Heroics?!" Lois scoffed. "Richard was standing in front of the gun for me. I couldn't let him die for me. I won't let anyone die for me. You got that guys?!"

Both men fell silent for their very own reasons. Each one guiltily knew of a time they did or would have done just that. They also knew that they would do it again if the need arose.

Lois held up her breadstick.

"Let's make a pact." She offered with a wide grin. "Pick up a stick."

Both Richard and Superman held up a breadstick.

"Repeat after me." She directed sweetly. "I promise…"

"I promise…" They mimicked in tune.

"I will not purposefully…" Lois continued slowly and then waited for them to keep up.

"I will not purposefully…" They followed along.

"Risk my life to save Lois." She finished with a grin.

Neither one of them finished her vow. They just stood there staring at her with their breadsticks in the air.

Lois sighed then bit into her breadstick. "At least I tried." She relented.

Then both Richard and Superman laughed and bit down on their breadsticks.

Lois was safe and always would be. That's all that counted anyway.


End file.
